Motor assembly including inverter case and wiring harness

ABSTRACT

A motor assembly includes a motor, a housing that houses the motor, an inverter that is electrically connected to the motor, an inverter case that houses the inverter and is provided integrally with the housing, a wire harness including a first connector electrically connected to a connector positioned on a side surface of the inverter case, a second connector electrically connected to a connector of the housing, and an electric wire electrically connecting the first connector and the second connector, and a side connector cover provided over the side surface of the inverter case, covering the first connector laterally.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present invention claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to JapaneseApplication No. 2018-198508 filed on Oct. 22, 2018 and JapaneseApplication No. 2019-080326 filed on Apr. 19, 2019, the entire contentsof which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a motor assembly.

2. BACKGROUND

Conventionally, a motor assembly that rotates an axle of a vehicle isknown. Various wire harnesses to be connected to the motor assembly arerouted around the motor assembly.

SUMMARY

According to one example embodiment of the present disclosure, a motorassembly includes a motor, a housing that houses the motor, an inverterthat is electrically connected to the motor, an inverter case thathouses the inverter and is provided integrally with the housing, a wireharness including a first connector electrically connected to aconnector positioned on a side surface of the inverter case, a secondconnector electrically connected to a connector of the housing, and anelectric wire electrically connecting the first connector and the secondconnector, and a side connector cover provided over the side surface ofthe inverter case, covering the first connector laterally.

The above and other elements, features, steps, characteristics andadvantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the example embodiments with referenceto the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a motor assembly according to an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure as viewed from above.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a motor assembly of an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure as viewed from below.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a motor assembly of an example embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a state in which a side connector cover isremoved.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure in a state in which a lower connector cover isremoved.

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating a side connector cover and an axleconnecting portion according to an example embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view illustrating an attachment state ofa fixing member according to an example embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fixing member according to an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating routing of a cooling water hose and awire harness in a fixing member according to an example embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, the vertical direction is defined anddescribed based on the positional relationship when a motor assembly 1of the present example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 is mounted on avehicle positioned on a horizontal road surface. In the accompanyingdrawings, an XYZ coordinate system is illustrated appropriately as athree-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system. In the XYZ coordinatesystem, the Z-axis direction is a vertical direction in which the +Zside is an upper side and the −Z side is a lower side. The X-axisdirection is a direction orthogonal to the Z-axis direction and is afront-rear direction of a vehicle on which the motor assembly 1 ismounted. In the present example embodiment, the +X side is a front sideof a vehicle, and the −X side is a rear side of the vehicle. The Y-axisdirection is a direction orthogonal to both the X-axis direction and theZ-axis direction, and is a left-right direction of a vehicle. In thepresent example embodiment, the +Y side is a left side of a vehicle, andthe −Y side is a right side of the vehicle. In the present exampleembodiment, the right side corresponds to one side in an axialdirection, and the left side corresponds to the other side in the axialdirection. In the present example embodiment, the front-rear directioncorresponds to a predetermined direction.

The positional relationship in the front-rear direction is not limitedto the positional relationship in the present example embodiment, andthus the +X side may be the rear side of a vehicle, and the −X side maybe the front side of the vehicle. In this case, the +Y side is the rightside of the vehicle, and the −Y side is the left side of the vehicle.

Each drawing appropriately illustrates a motor axis J1 that extends inthe Y-axis direction, i.e., the left-right direction of a vehicle. Inthe following description, unless otherwise specified, a directionparallel to the motor axis J1 is simply referred to as an “axialdirection”, a radial direction around the motor axis J1 is simplyreferred to as a “radial direction”, and a circumferential directionabout the motor axis J1, i.e., about of the motor axis J1, is simplyreferred to as a “circumferential direction”. In the presentspecification, a “parallel direction” includes a substantially paralleldirection, and an “orthogonal direction” includes a substantiallyorthogonal direction.

The motor assembly 1 is mounted on a vehicle using a motor as a powersource, such as a hybrid vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV),or an electric vehicle (EV), and is used as the power source. Asillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the motor assembly 1 includes a housing 10,a motor 20, and an inverter unit 40. Although not illustrated, the motorassembly 1 includes a speed reducer and a differential device.

The housing 10 houses the motor 20, the speed reducer (not illustrated),and the differential device (not illustrated). Although not illustrated,oil is contained in the housing 10. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, thehousing 10 includes a motor housing 11, a gear housing 12, and a motorcover 13.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the motor housing 11 includes a motor housingbody 11 a and a connecting portion 11 b. The motor housing body 11 a hasa cylindrical shape surrounding the motor axis J1 and extending in theaxial direction. The motor housing body 11 a opens to the right beingthe −Y side in the drawing. The motor housing body 11 a houses the motor20. The connecting portion 11 b is provided in a left end portion of themotor housing body 11 a. The connecting portion 11 b protrudes rearwardfrom the motor housing body 11 a.

The motor housing 11 has a plurality of ribs 11A on a surface of themotor housing body 11 a having a cylindrical shape. The plurality ofribs 11A includes a rib extending in the circumferential direction at aradial end portion of the motor housing body 11 a, and a rib extendingin the axial direction. Providing the plurality of ribs 11A enables themotor housing 11 to be improved in rigidity, and noise caused byvibration of the motor housing 11 when the motor 20 is driven to bereduced.

The gear housing 12 is fixed to the left side of the motor housing 11.More specifically, the gear housing 12 is fixed at its right end portionto the connecting portion 11 b with a screw. Although not illustrated,the gear housing 12 opens to the right. The gear housing 12 includes afirst housing portion 12 a and a second housing portion 12 b. The firsthousing portion 12 a is positioned on the left side of the motor housingbody 11 a. The first housing portion 12 a houses the speed reducer (notillustrated). The second housing portion 12 b is connected to a rearside of the first housing portion 12 a. The second housing portion 12 bis positioned on the left side of a portion of the connecting portion 11b, protruding rearward from the motor housing body 11 a. The secondhousing portion 12 b houses the differential device (not illustrated).The first housing portion 12 a protrudes leftward from the secondhousing portion 12 b.

The motor cover 13 is fixed to the right side of the motor housing 11.More specifically, the motor cover 13 is fixed to a right end portion ofthe motor housing body 11 a with a screw. As illustrated in FIG. 1, themotor cover 13 blocks an opening on the right side of the motor housingbody 11 a.

The motor 20 has a rotor (not illustrated) and a stator (notillustrated). The rotor of the motor 20 rotates about the motor axis J1.The rotor of the motor 20 is connected to the speed reducer (notillustrated) housed in the gear housing 12. Rotation of the motor 20 isdecelerated by the speed reducer (not illustrated) and transmitted tothe differential device (not illustrated). The differential devicetransmits torque output from the motor 20 to an axle of a vehicle. Thedifferential device has a ring gear that rotates about a differentialaxis J2 parallel to the motor axis J1. Torque output from the motor 20is transmitted to the ring gear via the speed reducer.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the housing 10 has an axle connecting portion11 c in the connecting portion 11 b. The axle connecting portion 11 chas a circular opening centered at the differential axis J2. The axle ofthe vehicle is inserted into the opening of the axle connecting portion11 c and connected to the ring gear of the differential device. Thevehicle axle is rotated about the differential axis J2.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the motor assembly 1 includes an oilpump 30, an oil cooler 35, and an electric actuator 36, as auxiliarymachines. The oil pump 30 and the oil cooler 35 are disposed in a lowerportion of the housing 10. The oil cooler 35 is positioned at a frontend bottom of the motor assembly 1. The oil pump 30 is positioned behindthe oil cooler 35. The electric actuator 36 is disposed in a frontportion of the housing 10. The electric actuator 36 is a driving devicefor a parking lock mechanism.

The oil pump 30 is disposed along the motor axis J1. As illustrated inFIG. 5, the oil pump 30 includes a connector 31 at its right end, and aheat sink 32. The heat sink 32 is provided in a cover member of the oilpump 30. The heat sink 32 cools a circuit board built in the oil pump30.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inverter unit 40 is positioned on arear side of the housing 10. The inverter unit 40 has an inverter case41. The inverter case 41 houses an inverter (not illustrated) therein.The inverter in the inverter case 41 is electrically connected to thestator of the motor 20 to drive the motor 20.

The inverter case 41 is fixed to the housing 10. That is, the invertercase 41 is provided integrally with the housing 10. In the presentexample embodiment, the inverter case 41 is fixed to a radially outersurface of the housing 10. More specifically, the inverter case 41 isfixed to a rear portion of a radially outer surface of the motor housingbody 11 a. That is, the inverter case 41 is fixed to the rear side ofthe housing 10 in the front-rear direction orthogonal to the axialdirection.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the inverter case 41 has a substantiallyrectangular box shape extending in the axial direction. The invertercase 41 has an inverter case body 42 and an inverter cover 43. Theinverter case body 42 opens upward and has a substantially rectangularbox shape long in the axial direction.

The inverter cover 43 blocks an upper opening of the inverter case body42. The inverter cover 43 includes a first cover 43 a and a second cover43 b. The first cover 43 a and the second cover 43 b are separated fromeach other. In the inverter case 41, the inverter (not illustrated) ishoused in a portion to which the first cover 43 a is attached. In theinverter case 41, a bus bar (not illustrated) connected to the inverteris housed in a portion to which the second cover 43 b is attached.

The housing 10 is formed in its outer surface with a plurality of ribs.Accordingly, vibration generated by rotation of the motor 20 and a soundgenerated by the vibration can be effectively suppressed. The housing 10is provided in its side surface on the right side being the −Y side witha first attachment portion 10 a, in its side surface on the left sidebeing the +Y side with a second attachment portion 10 b, and on its rearside with a third attachment portion 10 c. Accordingly, the motorassembly 1 can be firmly fixed to a sub frame of the vehicle (notillustrated).

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, a wire harness 60 and a cooling waterhose 70 are routed around the side surface on the right side being the−Y side of the motor assembly 1. Specifically, the wire harness 60 andthe cooling water hose 70 extend downward from the side surface on theright side of the inverter case 41 along a lower end portion of themotor cover 13 to be routed below the housing 10.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the motor assembly 1 has a sideconnector cover 81 around end portions of the wire harness 60 and thecooling water hose 70, close to the inverter case 41. The motor assembly1 also includes a lower connector cover 82 around end portions of thewire harness 60 and the cooling water hose 70, on a lower side of themotor housing 11. That is, in the motor assembly 1, the wire harness 60and the cooling water hose extend between the side connector cover 81and the lower connector cover 82. In the present example embodiment, thecooling water hose 70 is a molded hose formed preliminarily in apredetermined shape.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the wire harness 60 includes a firstconnector 61 connected to a connector 44 of the inverter case 41, asecond connector 62 connected to the connector 31 of the oil pump 30positioned in a lower portion of the housing 10, and an electric wire 63connecting the first connector 61 and the second connector 62.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the inverter case 41 has the connector 44 at acorner of a right side surface of the inverter case body 42 on the frontside. The connector 44 protrudes obliquely forward from the corner ofthe inverter case body 42. The connector 44 is positioned in a gapbetween the inverter case and the motor housing 11 in the front-reardirection. The connector 44 is connected to the first connector 61 ofthe wire harness 60.

In the inverter case 41, a connector 14 protruding from a surface of themotor housing 11, facing the rear side, is disposed below the connector44. The connector 14 of the motor housing 11 is connected to someterminals of the connector 44. Although not illustrated, a wire harnessconnected to the connector 14 has an electric wire connected to thefirst connector 61, and a connector connected to the connector 14. Theconnector 14 of the motor housing 11 protrudes diagonally rearward rightfrom a back surface of the motor housing 11. That is, a protrudingdirection of the connector 14 is a direction intersecting a protrudingdirection of the connector 44 of the inverter case 41. In the presentexample embodiment, the protruding direction of the connector 14 and theprotruding direction of the connector 44 are substantially orthogonalwhen viewed from above.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the oil pump 30 and the oil cooler 35 aredisposed at the lower portion of the housing 10. The oil pump 30 has aconnector 31 for power supply and signal input. The second connector 62of the wire harness 60 is connected to the connector 31 of the oil pump30.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cooling water hose 70 is connectedto a hose nipple 71 protruding from a right side surface of the invertercase 41 and a hose nipple 72 positioned at the lower portion of thehousing 10.

The inverter case 41 has the two hose nipples 71 and 73 in a lowerportion of the right side surface of the inverter case body 42. The hosenipple 73 positioned behind the hose nipple 71 is a cooling water supplyport to the inverter case 41. The hose nipple 73 is connected to acooling water hose (not illustrated). The hose nipple 71 positioned infront of the hose nipple 73 is a cooling water discharge port from theinverter case 41.

The hose nipple 72 at the lower portion of the housing 10 is a coolingwater supply port to the oil cooler 35 attached to the motor housing 11.Although not illustrated, the housing 10 has a hose nipple as a coolingwater discharge port from the oil cooler 35. The cooling water hose 70is connected at its lower end to the hose nipple 72.

The hose nipple 72 and the connector 31 of the oil pump 30 are disposedat positions close to each other in the lower portion of the housing 10.Specifically, the oil cooler 35 and the oil pump 30 are disposed backand forth, side by side. The hose nipple 72 connected to the oil cooler35 is positioned in a rear end portion of the oil cooler 35. Theconnector 31 of the oil pump 30 is positioned in a front end portion ofthe oil pump 30.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the side connector cover 81 is configured tolaterally cover the connector 44 of the inverter case 41, the firstconnector 61 of the wire harness 60, the connector 14 of the housing 10,and a part of the cooling water hose 70.

Thus, the motor assembly 1 of the present example embodiment has theside connector cover 81 covering the first connector 61 laterally, onthe right side surface of each of the inverter case 41 and the housing10. According to this structure, even when an impact is applied from aside surface of the vehicle, the first connector 61 is protected by theside connector cover 81, and thus the wire harness 60 is less likely tobe broken even in the event of a collision.

In the present example embodiment, the connector 14 of the housing 10 isalso covered laterally with the side connector cover 81, so that thewire harness connecting the connector 44 and the connector 14 is alsoprotected by the side connector cover 81.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the side connector cover 81 has abottom wall portion 81 a facing downward, a rear opening 81 b that opensbehind the bottom wall portion 81 a, and a front opening 81 c that opensin front of the bottom wall portion 81 a. As illustrated in FIG. 3, thebottom wall portion 81 a is positioned above the axle connecting portion11 c. The connector 14, the connector 44, and the first connector 61illustrated in FIG. 4 are disposed above the bottom wall portion 81 a.When viewed from the axle connected to the axle connecting portion 11 c,the connector 14, the connector 44, and the first connector 61 arecovered with the bottom wall portion 81 a.

That is, the motor assembly 1 of the present example embodiment includesthe housing 10 having the axle connecting portion 11 c to which the axleof the vehicle is connected, the inverter case 41 having the connector44 positioned radially outside the axle connected to the axle connectingportion 11 c, and the side connector cover 81 covering the firstconnector 61 when viewed from the axle.

According to this structure, even when a stepping stone hits the axlerotating in the lower portion of the motor assembly 1 and jumps upwardor liquid adhering to the axle is scattered, the first connector 61 isprotected by the bottom wall portion 81 a of the side connector cover81. Thus, the connector can be effectively protected from a steppingstone or the like when the vehicle travels.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6, the bottom wall portion 81 a has alower surface that is an upwardly convex curved surface extending alongcurvature of the axle connected to the axle connecting portion 11 c. Thelower surface of the bottom wall portion 81 a is a curved surface, sothat a foreign matter such as a stone flying after hitting against theaxle can be bounced toward a road surface by the lower surface of thebottom wall portion 81 a. Accordingly, a foreign matter bounced off theside connector cover 81 can be prevented from hitting or adhering toanother portion of the motor assembly 1.

The axle also has a boot (not illustrated) to increase in radial sizethan the axle. When the bottom wall portion 81 a is provided, the bootcan be prevented from coming into contact with the connector or the likedue to deflection of the axle caused when the vehicle with the axlerotating at high speed climbs a step or the like.

In the present example embodiment, the side connector cover 81 holds apart of the cooling water hose 70 in a space between the side connectorcover 81 and the inverter case 41, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The coolingwater hose 70 is connected at its end behind the side connector cover 81to the hose nipple 71 in the rear opening 81 b. The cooling water hose70 has a front portion extending downward and forward from the frontopening 81 c of the side connector cover 81.

According to this structure, the cooling water hose 70 is held at aposition preventing the cooling water hose 70 from protruding to theright side of the motor assembly 1, so that the motor assembly 1 can bereduced in axial length. In addition, the cooling water hose 70 is lesslikely to interfere when the motor assembly 1 is mounted on a vehicle,so that workability is improved. The above structure enables preventingthe cooling water hose 70 from coming into contact with a vehicle frameand the like, so that unintended wear or breakage of the cooling waterhose 70 can be suppressed.

The side connector cover 81 is disposed extending over the inverter case41 and the housing 10 when viewed laterally, and is fixed to both theinverter case 41 and the housing 10. Specifically, as illustrated inFIG. 3, the side connector cover 81 is fixed to the inverter case 41with a bolt 91 and fixed to the motor cover 13 of the housing 10 withtwo bolts 92 and 93.

According to this structure, the side connector cover 81 can morereliably protect both the connector 44 of the inverter case 41 and theconnector 14 of the housing 10. If the side connector cover 81 is fixedonly to the inverter case 41, the side connector cover 81 has a portioncovering the connector 14 of the housing 10, being not fixed, and thusthe housing 10 and the side connector cover 81 may vibrate to generatenoise, or a stepping stone and water are likely to enter a gap betweenthe housing 10 and the side connector cover 81. Thus, according to thestructure of the present example embodiment, connector protection usingthe side connector cover 81 becomes more reliable.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the side connector cover 81 is configured tolaterally cover the connector 44 of the inverter case 41, the firstconnector 61 of the wire harness 60, the connector 14 of the housing 10,and a part of the cooling water hose 70.

Thus, the motor assembly 1 of the present example embodiment has theside connector cover 81 covering the first connector 61 laterally, onthe right side surface of each of the inverter case 41 and the housing10. According to this structure, even when an impact is applied from aside surface of the vehicle, the first connector 61 is protected by theside connector cover 81, and thus the wire harness 60 is less likely tobe broken even in the event of a collision.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5, the lower connector cover 82 isconfigured to cover the connector 31 of the oil pump 30, the secondconnector 62 of the wire harness 60 connected to the connector 31, andthe hose nipple 72 of the housing 10, from below in the lower portion ofthe housing 10. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower connectorcover 82 has an opening 82 a that opens to the right. The wire harness60 and the cooling water hose 70 are inserted into the lower connectorcover 82 through the opening 82 a. The lower connector cover 82 is fixedto a lower surface of the motor housing 11 with a plurality of boltsincluding the bolt 93 illustrated in FIG. 2.

Thus, the motor assembly 1 of the present example embodiment has thelower connector cover 82 covering the second connector 62 from below inthe lower portion of the housing 10. According to this structure, thesecond connector 62 is protected from a stepping stone, road surfacewater, and the like in the lower portion of the motor assembly 1,exposed to a lower surface of the vehicle, so that the wire harness 60is unlikely to be broken in the connector and its surroundings.

According to the motor assembly 1 of the present example embodiment, thesecond connector 62 of the wire harness 60 is protected by the lowerconnector cover 82 even when an electronic component such as the oilpump 30 is disposed in the lower portion of the motor assembly 1. Thatis, the motor assembly 1 of the present example embodiment enables aconnector that may be disconnected and its surroundings to be disposedin the lower portion of the motor assembly 1. Thus, according to thepresent example embodiment, restrictions on placement of an electroniccomponent in the motor assembly 1 are reduced.

The motor assembly 1 of the present example embodiment includes thecooling water hose 70 connected to the hose nipple 71 of the invertercase 41 and the hose nipple 72 of the housing 10, and the lowerconnector cover 82 covering the second connector 62 and the hose nipple72 of the housing 10 from below. According to this structure, aconnection portion of the cooling water hose 70 is also protected from astepping stone.

In the present example embodiment, the connector 31 of the oil pump 30and the hose nipple 72 are disposed close to each other, so that thelower connector cover 82 covering the connector 31 and the hose nipple72 can be reduced in size. This enables structure in which while only aportion necessary to be protected from a stepping stone is covered withthe lower connector cover 82 in the lower portion of the motor assembly1, a portion requiring cooling, for example, is not covered with thelower connector cover 82.

Specifically, the motor assembly 1 of the present example embodimentincludes the oil pump 30 having the heat sink 32 that cools internalcomponents of the oil pump 30, the heat sink 32 being positioned outsidethe lower connector cover 82. According to this structure, the heat sink32 is exposed to the lower portion of the motor assembly 1, so that theheat sink 32 and the internal components of the oil pump 30 areefficiently cooled when the vehicle travels.

In a motor assembly mounted on a vehicle, a cable and a hose are routedaround a motor and a gear. The cable and the hose need to be fixed tothe motor assembly or a vehicle frame to prevent contact with a movablepart such as an axle. The motor assembly 1 of the present exampleembodiment includes a fixing member 100 that can efficiently fix a cableand a hose.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the fixing member 100 is fixed to a surface ofthe motor cover 13, facing the right side (−Y side). In the presentexample embodiment, the fixing member 100 is fixed to the motor cover 13using two bolts 131 and 132. More specifically, the motor cover 13includes a cover body 13 a fastened to the motor housing 11, acylindrical portion 13 b protruding rightward from the cover body 13 a,and a lid portion 13 c fixed to a right end of the cylindrical portion13 b. The fixing member 100 is bolted to a surface facing the right side(−Y side) of the cover body 13 a. The cylindrical portion 13 b has apolygonal shape when viewed in the axial direction, and the fixingmember 100 is disposed along a flat surface of the cylindrical portion13 b, facing rearward and downward.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the fixing member 100 has a base portion 110having an elongated plate-like shape extending in one direction. Thebase portion 110 has two screw insertion holes 110 a and 110 b passingthrough the base portion 110 in its plate thickness direction, and athrough hole 110 c. That is, the fixing member 100 has the base portion110 fixed to the housing 10.

In the following description, as illustrated in FIG. 8, there isappropriately used a coordinate system in which an extending directionof the base portion 110 is referred to as A-axis, a plate thicknessdirection orthogonal to a plate surface of the base portion 110 isreferred to as B-axis, and a direction orthogonal to the A-axis and theB-axis, extending along the plate surface of the base portion 110, isreferred to as C-axis. The fixing member 100 may be described in thedescription as follows: −A side of the fixing member 100 is referred toas a holder base end side; +A side is referred to as a holder leadingend side, −B side is referred to as a holder front surface side; +B sideis referred to as a holder back surface side; +C side is referred to asa holder upper side; and −C side is referred to as a holder lower side.In the present example embodiment, the B-axis in FIG. 8 is parallel tothe Y-axis in which the motor axis J1 extends.

The fixing member 100 includes a first holding portion 101 extendingfrom a long side of the base portion 110 on the holder lower side (−Cside) to the outside of the base portion 110 (−C direction). The fixingmember 100 has a second holding portion 102, a third holding portion103, and a fourth holding portion 104, each protruding from a platesurface 110 d on the holder front surface side (−B side) of the baseportion 110 in a holder front face direction (−B side).

In the base portion 110, the screw insertion hole 110 a, the throughhole 110 c, and the screw insertion hole 110 b are aligned in this orderalong a direction in which the base portion 110 extends (A-axisdirection).

The first holding portion 101 is curved toward the holder front surfaceside (−B side) as extending toward the holder lower side (−C side). Thefirst holding portion 101 is provided in its central portion in adirection in which the base portion 110 extends (A-axis direction) witha binding band insertion hole 101 a passing through the first holdingportion 101 in its plate thickness direction.

The second holding portion 102 protrudes from a central portion in theextending direction of the base portion 110 toward the holder frontsurface side (−B side) of the base portion 110. The second holdingportion 102 is provided at its leading end on the holder front side witha flange portion 102 a bending toward the holder upper side (+C side).The second holding portion 102 has a substantially L-shape when viewedalong a direction in which the base portion 110 extends (A-axisdirection). The flange portion 102 a is provided at its end on theholder upper side with a recessed portion 102 b recessed toward theholder lower side (−C side). As illustrated in FIG. 9, a binding band115 having passed through the binding band insertion hole 101 a can behooked into the recessed portion 102 b.

The second holding portion 102 has an end on the holder back surfaceside (+B side) that is positioned at an edge of the through hole 110 con the holder lower side. The second holding portion 102 is provided atits end on the holder back surface side with a recessed portion 102 crecessed toward the holder front surface side. As illustrated in FIG. 9,the binding band 115 having passed through the binding band insertionhole 101 a can be hooked into the recessed portion 102 c. The screwinsertion hole 110 a is positioned on the holder base end side (−A side)of the second holding portion 102, and the screw insertion hole 110 b ispositioned on the holder leading end side (+A side).

The third holding portion 103 is positioned at an end of the baseportion 110 on the holder base end side. The third holding portion 103is positioned closer to a holder base end than the screw insertion hole110 a. The third holding portion 103 protrudes from the long side of thebase portion 110 on the holder upper side to the holder front surfaceside. The third holding portion 103 is a protrusion having a rectangularplate-like shape. In FIG. 8, the third holding portion 103 has a platesurface facing the vertical direction (C-axis direction) of the fixingmember 100.

The fourth holding portion 104 is positioned at an end of the baseportion 110 on the holder leading end side. The fourth holding portion104 is positioned closer to a holder leading end than the screwinsertion hole 101 b. The fourth holding portion 104 protrudes from anend of the base portion 110 on the holder upper side (+C side) towardthe holder front surface side. The fourth holding portion 104 has acolumnar shape extending along a protruding direction of the fourthholding portion 104.

The fourth holding portion 104 has a thickness larger than a platethickness of the third holding portion 103 in the vertical direction(C-axis direction) of the fixing member 100. That is, the fourth holdingportion 104 has a surface on the holder lower side (−C side) positionedcloser to a holder lower side than a surface of the third holdingportion 103 on the holder lower side. The fourth holding portion 104 isprovided in its surface facing the holder lower side with a pressingsurface 104 a pressing the wire harness 60.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the fixing member 100 is fastened to the coverbody 13 a of the motor cover 13 with the two bolts 131 and 132 havingpassed through the screw insertion holes 110 a and 110 b, respectively.The bolts 131 and 132 each have a head protruding from the plate surface110 d of the base portion 110 toward the holder front surface side. Thefirst holding portion 101 to the fourth holding portion 104 of thefixing member 100 protrude from the motor cover 13 toward the right side(−Y side) of the motor assembly 1.

The third holding portion 103 and the fourth holding portion 104 of thefixing member 100 are disposed along an outer peripheral surface of thecylindrical portion 13 b of the motor cover 13. That is, in the radialdirection of the motor axis J1, the first holding portion 101 of thefixing member 100 is positioned outside the second holding portion 102to the fourth holding portion 104.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the fixing member 100 holds the wireharness 60 and the cooling water hose 70, extending from the right sidesurface of the inverter unit 40 to the lower portion of the motorhousing 11. The wire harness 60 and the cooling water hose 70 are fixedto the motor cover 13 with the fixing member 100 at an intermediateposition in a routing path. That is, the wire harness 60 and the coolingwater hose 70 are fixed to the housing 10 with the fixing member 100.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the cooling water hose 70 is disposed betweenthe first holding portion 101 and the second holding portion 102 of thefixing member 100. The cooling water hose 70 is sandwiched between asurface of the first holding portion 101, facing the holder upper side,and a surface of the second holding portion 102, facing the holder lowerside.

The electric wire 63 of the wire harness 60 is held by the secondholding portion 102 to the fourth holding portion 104. The electric wire63 extends from the connector 44 illustrated in FIG. 4 toward the lowerportion of the motor assembly 1. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the electricwire 63 extends along the cooling water hose 70, and extends from aportion of the fixing member 100, on the holder base end side (−A side),to the fourth holding portion 104 through a portion of the third holdingportion 103, on the holder lower side (−C side), and a portion of thesecond holding portion 102, on the holder upper side (+C side), and thenis pulled out from a portion of the fourth holding portion 104, on theholder lower side, to the outside (+A side) of the fixing member 100.

The electric wire 63 is held and sandwiched in the vertical direction(C-axis direction) of the fixing member 100 by a surface of the secondholding portion 102, facing the holder upper side (+C side), a surfaceof the third holding portion 103, facing the holder lower side (−Cside), and a surface of the fourth holding portion 104, facing theholder lower side. In the present example embodiment, the electric wire63 is pressed toward the holder lower side by the third holding portion103 and the fourth holding portion 104, and pressed toward the holderupper side at a position of the second holding portion 102 to meandergently in the fixing member 100. Accordingly, the electric wire 63 isfirmly held by the second holding portion 102 to the fourth holdingportion 104.

Thus, according to the fixing member 100, the wire harness 60 and thecooling water hose can be stably held with a simple structure using thefirst holding portion 101 to the fourth holding portion 104.

In the present example embodiment, the electric wire 63 is also held andsandwiched in a depth direction (A-axis direction) of the fixing member100 by a surface of the bolt 131, facing the holder front surface side(−B side), a surface of the flange portion 102 a of the second holdingportion 102, facing the holder back surface side (+B side), and asurface of the bolt 132, facing the holder front surface side. Thus,with the fixing member 100, the wire harness 60 can be sandwiched from aplurality of directions to be stably held.

As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 1 to 3, a position where the fixing member100 is disposed corresponds to a circumferential position facing theaxle connected to the axle connecting portion 11 c in thecircumferential direction of the motor housing 11. The electric wire 63and the cooling water hose 70 of the wire harness 60 are each disposedside by side in the radial direction at a position facing the axle, andthe second holding portion 102 is positioned between the electric wire63 and the cooling water hose 70. According to this structure, thefixing member 100 can prevent the electric wire 63 from moving towardthe axle with the second holding portion 102. Thus, according to thepresent example embodiment, the wire harness 60 routed around the motorassembly 1 can be effectively protected.

In the present example embodiment, the fourth holding portion 104 of thefixing member 100 has the pressing surface 104 a, and the pressingsurface 104 a is positioned closer to the holder lower side than thesurface of the third holding portion 103, facing the holder lower side.As illustrated in FIG. 9, this structure enables the electric wire 63 tobe bent toward the holder lower side at an end of the fixing member 100on the holder leading end side to pass through a space between the baseportion 110 (+B side) and the cooling water hose 70. Accordingly, theelectric wire 63 extending outward from the fixing member 100 isdisposed behind the cooling water hose 70 as viewed from the axle. As aresult, the electric wire 63 and the axle can be further less likely tocome into contact with each other. In addition, the electric wire 63 isgreatly bent by the pressing surface 104 a to cause the fixing member100 to have an increased force for holding the electric wire 63, so thatthe fixing member 100 can more stably hold the electric wire 63.

While in the present example embodiment, the cooling water hose 70 isheld between the first holding portion 101 and the second holdingportion 102, and the wire harness 60 is held between the second holdingportion 102, and the third holding portion 103 and the fourth holdingportion 104, the present disclosure is not limited to this structure.That is, the wire harness 60 may be held between the first holdingportion 101 and the second holding portion 102, and the cooling waterhose 70 may be held with the second holding portion 102 to the fourthholding portion 104. However, in this case, the fixing member 100 isfixed to the housing 10 causing the first holding portion 101 holdingthe wire harness 60 to face a side opposite to the axle.

While in this example embodiment, the fixing member 100 having the baseportion 110 and the first holding portion 101 to the fourth holdingportion 104 is used to dispose the electric wire 63 of the wire harness60 farther away than the cooling water hose 70 when viewed from theaxle, the fixing member 100 of the present example embodiment may not beused. For example, a binding band may be used as the fixing member. Thatis, the wire harness 60 and the cooling water hose 70 may be fixed tothe motor cover 13 or the motor housing 11 while being bundled using thebinding band. Even in this case, as far as the wire harness 60 isdisposed at a position farther away than the cooling water hose 70 whenviewed from the axle, an effect of suppressing contact between the wireharness 60 and the axle to protect the wire harness 60 can be obtained.

Each of the structures described in the present specification can becombined suitably in the range consistent with each other.

Each of the structures described in the present specification can becombined suitably in the range consistent with each other. While in thepresent disclosure, the connection structure between the connector 44provided in the inverter case 41 and the connector 31 of the oil pump 30is described, the inverter case 41 may be connected to an auxiliarymachine other than the oil pump 30. For example, the electric actuator36 of a parking lock mechanism may be used.

While in the present example embodiment, the wire harness 60 and thecooling water hose 70 extend from the side surface of the inverter case41 to the lower surface of the housing 10, the present disclosure is notlimited to this structure. For example, at least one of the wire harness60 and the cooling water hose 70 may extend from the upper surface, theback surface, or the lower surface of the inverter case 41 to the lowersurface of the housing 10.

While the cooling water hose 70 is preferably a molded hose, it may be ahose made of silicon or the like, or a flexible hose that is not molded.

While in the present example embodiment, the housing 10 and the invertercase 41, which are separate from each other, are connected andintegrated, the housing 10 and the inverter case 41 may be a singlemember.

While example embodiments of the present disclosure have been describedabove, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will beapparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scopeand spirit of the present disclosure. The scope of the presentdisclosure, therefore, is to be determined solely by the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A motor assembly comprising: a motor; a housingthat houses the motor; an inverter that is electrically connected to themotor; an inverter case that houses the inverter and is providedintegrally with the housing; a wire harness including a first connectorelectrically connected to a connector positioned on a side surface ofthe inverter case, a second connector electrically connected to aconnector of the housing, and an electric wire electrically connectingthe first connector and the second connector; a side connector coverprovided over the side surface of the inverter case, covering the firstconnector laterally; and a cooling water hose connected to a hose nippleof the inverter case; wherein the side connector cover holds a portionof the cooling water hose in a space between the side connector coverand the inverter case.
 2. The motor assembly according to claim 1,wherein the housing includes an axle connecting portion to which an axleof a vehicle is connected; the inverter case including the connector ispositioned radially outside the axle connected to the axle connectingportion; and the first connector is covered with the side connectorcover when viewed from the axle.
 3. The motor assembly according toclaim 2, wherein the side connector cover includes a bottom wall portionpositioned between the first connector and the axle; and the bottom wallportion includes a surface facing the axle, having a curved shapeprotruding toward a side opposite to the axle.
 4. The motor assemblyaccording to claim 1, wherein the connector of the housing protrudesfrom a surface of the housing to be laterally covered by the sideconnector cover.
 5. The motor assembly according to claim 4, wherein theside connector cover extends over the inverter case and the housing whenviewed laterally, and is fixed to both the inverter case and thehousing.
 6. The motor assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:a lower connector cover covering the second connector from below;wherein the second connector is electrically connected to the connectorof the housing, the connector of the housing being positioned in a lowerportion of the housing.